What They Get Wrong About the Los Angeles Chargers

Richard Wade: Well, what do they get wrong about the Los Angeles Chargers?

Jamie Hoyle: I think the thing everyone gets wrong about the Chargers is that they always fall into the "they're loaded and a playoff team if healthy" trap. I see it every offseason and it always makes me laugh because people get so focused on the first 22 spots on the roster that they overlook the back 31 spots, which is usually the part of the roster that determines whether a team is 6-10 or 10-6. While improved in some spots this year, the general lack of depth in the Telesco era has prevented this team from developing the rotations needed to keep guys healthy at certain spots and finding ways to win the close games that have haunted them.

Cody Young: I think what they get wrong is that the Chargers are "one player away" from Super Bowl contention. We hear this all the time from numerous outlets, especially around the time of the NFL draft. Last year it was "If the Chargers draft a safety they'll be ready to compete". The year prior to that was "If only the Chargers draft a left tackle they'll be fighting for a Super Bowl". I don't think it's that simple when talking about the Chargers. In fact, I don't think it's that simple for any team really. There are so many variables that go into winning in the national football league, it's hard to ever say that any team is "one player away". But that's what happens just by examining rosters. They look and say, man, they've got Philip Rivers. They've got Melvin Gordon. They've got Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, and Keenan Allen. Surely one more player will push them over the edge. Unfortunately, that's just not how it works.

Louis Gorini: What a lot of people get wrong is how good the Chargers defense is. Yeah, they have Bosa, they have Ingram, they have Hayward. But outside of those 3, the Chargers have very inconsistent play among all 3 levels of the defense. If Bosa or Ingram don't rush the QB effectively this team is easy to pick apart. That is why teams run a lot against them, it slows their pass rush, and frankly, LA can't stop the run

Ruben J. Gonzalez: I think the thing that people get wrong is that once/if the Chargers start winning, there will be more fans. Sorry to break it to you guys, but the fans aren't coming. Unless you been living in a cave, by the age of 18, most people have already picked a team to root for and I find it hard for a rational adult to up and say, screw my cowboys or screw the raiders, I'm gonna start rooting for the Chargers because they are winning. Unlike some owners, fans are loyal. And anyway, who wants a fellow fan who can switch teams on such a whim? "What about that person who doesn't have a team yet?" Well, those are the fans who show up at halftime or sell their tickets to opposing fans for double the price. The only hope for new fans are gonna be the young children being birthed as I write this and that's gonna take a while. It's time to come to the realization, this is what it's gonna be.

Matthew Stanley: What did they get wrong about the Chargers? Well, they thought the LA market needed 2 NFL teams of its own, and so far even just among NFL viewership the Chargers and Rams have been around 4th or 5th in viewership. They thought this team was healthier and already have 2 top draft picks that are injured, their star corner is hurt, their starting RT is week to week. Also expecting an immediate, transformative change with a new coaching regime was too much to ask as well. On a positive note, I think a lot of people, including myself, were wrong about Kenny Wiggins. He has been the Chargers' best offensive lineman so far this year.

Jason Michaels: What people get wrong about the Los Angeles Chargers is that there's really a lot of pride -- and, yes, equal parts turmoil. The Chargers players loved San Diego; so did the fans. Despite the forced relocation, both players and fans have been caught between a rock and a hard place. There have been a lot of very talented Chargers, and there's pride in that storied history. Despite their penchant for choking close games, despite their abandoning of a half-century home, despite being caught between the bottom feeders and the perennial playoff teams, there is still pride with the bolts. They have always been underdogs, and that is a darling quality for any fan to take to heart.

Michael Peterson: As much as I enjoy hearing all the positivity, that is the main thing people keep getting wrong. Any optimistic outcome to the season seems to be dashed before they get to a point of validation. Before the season the Bolts lost Denzel Perryman but I believed they could overcome just one player on defense being sidelined. Turns out the injury to Perryman has caused some of the biggest headaches for fans.

Personally, I was very wrong about Kenny Wiggins. I hate to say it, but he's been a pleasant surprise. On the flip side, I was also wrong about Dan Feeney being an immediate impact player along the line. I'm not sure what is wrong after a preseason of positive reviews but time will tell.